Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final earned one of the largest audiences ever for a soccer telecast on a single network.
The Japan/United States Women’s World Cup final drew a 7.4 U.S. rating and 13.458 million viewers on ESPN Sunday, according to Nielsen fast-nationals, the second-largest audience ever for a Women’s World Cup match in the United States.
Only the 1999 United States/China final, which aired on broadcast network ABC, drew more viewers (17.975M).
For some perspective, the 2010 Men’s World Cup final drew over 24 million viewers across ABC (15.905M) and Univision (8.821M).
Sunday’s match set several milestones, ranking as the most-viewed soccer telecast (regardless of gender) ever on ESPN, the sixth-most viewed soccer telecast ever on a single network (again, regardless of gender), and the second-most viewed daytime program in the history of cable television.
In the last category, Sunday’s match was topped only by the 2011 Rose Bowl (TCU/WISC: 20.558M), which also aired on ESPN.
Overall, the final ranks as the fourth-most viewed non-NFL program in ESPN history, behind the 2011 BCS National Championship Game (AUB/ORE: 27.316M), the aforementioned 2011 Rose Bowl, and the 2011 Sugar Bowl (OSU/ARK: 13.635M, ESPN).
Prior to this year, the top non-NFL program in network history was a Cubs/Cardinals game during the height of the 1998 home run chase (10.622M).
Compared to other recent sporting events, the match drew more viewers than the 2011 Pro Bowl (13.406M, FOX), 2011 MLB All-Star Game (10.970M, FOX), and Game 3 of last year’s World Series (SF/TEX G3: 11.460M, FOX).
The match also topped the most-viewed MLB game in cable history (NYY/TEX G6: 11.863M, TBS), the most-viewed NBA game in cable history (MIA/CHI G1: 11.109M, TNT), and the most-viewed Stanley Cup Final telecast in 38 years (BOS/VAN: 8.540M, NBC), each of which took place within the past year.
For the calendar year 2011, the match ranks as the 34th-most viewed sporting event, behind fifteen NFL games, all six NBA Finals games, six NCAA Tournament windows, the three previously mentioned Bowl Championship Series games, the Daytona 500, the Kentucky Derby, and the final round of The Masters.
Baltimore was the top market for Sunday’s match, with a 12.3. San Diego (11.8), West Palm Beach (11.7), Washington, D.C. (11.5), and Norfolk, VA (11.1) followed.
(This year’s numbers from espnmediazone3.com)
